1To George Washington from Major John Taylor, 26 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to inclose to your Excellency a Letter from Colo. Hazen to myself, by which you will see his anxiety to have his regiment with him on the canadian expedition, with which our own wishes warmly correspond. The greater part of our men are Canadians & New England-men, to whom this step would give new life, and who would act with redoubled vigor, besides their presence in canada...
2To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel John Taylor, 20 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have made it my particular business since I have been stationed at this place, to make use of every mean⟨s⟩ in my power to procure intelligence of the movements and designs of the Enemy; but nothing worthy of your Excellency’s attention offering, I have omitted writing untill the present. I have it from good authority that the Troops who were with Governor Tryon to the Eastward, have...
3To George Washington from Lt. Col. John Taylor, 30 July 1779 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letters not found : from Lt. Col. John Taylor, 30 July 1779. GW wrote Taylor on 5 Aug.: “I have duly received Your two favors of the 30th of July” ( DLC:GW ).
4To George Washington from John Taylor, 2 Aug. 1779 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found : from John Taylor, 2 Aug. 1779. On 5 Aug., GW wrote Taylor: “I have duly received Your two favors of the 30th of July and 2d Instant.”
5To George Washington from John Taylor, 6 Aug. 1779 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found : from John Taylor, 6 Aug. 1779. On 10 Aug., GW wrote Taylor: “I have been duly favored with your letter of the 6th inst.”
6To George Washington from John Taylor, 7 Aug. 1779 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found : from John Taylor, 7 Aug. 1779. On 12 Aug., GW wrote Taylor: “Your favor of the 7th came to my hands about an hour ago.”
7To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel John Taylor, 5 September 1779 (Washington Papers)
The intelligence which I last transmitted to your Excy is in part confirmed. It is certain that the enemy have repaired their flat bottomd boats—but for the present have deferred the expedition which they had in view. The reinforcement arrived with Adml Arbuthnot will amount to more than three thousand men many of them sick, consisting of two Scotch Regiments and two small companies of German...
8To George Washington from John Taylor, 17 Sept. 1779 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found : from John Taylor, 17 Sept. 1779. On 19 Sept., GW wrote Taylor: “I have recd your favr of the 17th.” In his letter to John Jay of 19–20 Sept., GW quoted the text of an intelligence report that Taylor apparently included as part of this letter.
9To Benjamin Franklin from John Taylor, 2 February 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I find myself under very great difficulty how to address you on a matter of private concern, when your time is so much taken up with public business but presuming on the many former instances of kindness you have shewn me, I hope to meet your forgiveness, if I act improperly by requesting your opinion on an affair of great moment to myself & large family....
10To Thomas Jefferson from John Taylor, 5 December 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
It gives me great uneasyness that the Militia of this County By their riotous behavour have prevented my making a proper return to you. On the day appointed for the Draft they assembled in a Mob, and disarm’d the Officers as they came to the field, and took from me the papers relative to the draft which prevented my carrying it on. I had a Court Martial held according to Law, and many were...
11To Thomas Jefferson from John Taylor, 15 April 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
Lancaster County, 15 Apr. 1781 . Encloses “a list of the number of Men raised in this County for recruiting this States quota of Troops to serve in the Continental Army, likewise a particular number of each Division, and a return of the Militia but not so full as your last instructions required, as I have not recieved any returns from the Different Captains since.” The return of ammunition...
12To Thomas Jefferson from John Taylor, with Jefferson’s Opinion on Mary Wayland, [16 August 1782] (Jefferson Papers)
Your most Curious Council is required on the following Cases. Case the 1st. Adam Wayland of Culpeper County in the Virga. State, after 1st. Lawful Marriage had 6 Children by his wife and She pregnant with the 7th.—Made a Will by which will he bequeath’d his wife one full Third part of his Estate, his wife in time of her pregnancy was Taken with the Small pox and Died—after remaining a widower...
13To Benjamin Franklin from John Taylor, 1 December 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society The great friendship you have ever shewn me, produces a liberty which I trust you will forgive, as the subject is a matter of the utmost importance to me, and my family— I see in Freemans Philada. Journal of the 27th. february 1782 among the names of those who have forfeited their Estates, two John Taylors , and as I have not heard from my Agent Wm. West...
14To James Madison from John Taylor, 11 May 1793 (Madison Papers)
By Colo. Monroe an opportunity occuring, I take it to inform you, that I have not been idle since my return. Upon reflection, it seemed to me, that at the next Session of Congress, and at its very commencement, a direct, firm and resolute attack should be made upon the bank law. The news papers are improper channels through which to make a considerable impression on the public mind, because...
15To James Madison from John Taylor, 20 June 1793 (Madison Papers)
In coming from Philadelphia, alone, and meditative, after Congress had risen, the occurrences which had trodden on each others heels, in too rapid succession for much reflection during the session, began to pass muster in my mind, and to peice themselves together, so as to exhibit an unity of design. Connecting these with several important laws of the union, a variety of fantasies were...
16To James Madison from John Taylor, 5 August 1793 (Madison Papers)
I have this moment parted with Giles & Venable, who have been two days at my house; the contents of the packet I sent you by Mr: Maury were stated to them, and they request me to convey their respects, and their decided opinions to you. They think the production ought to be printed and dispersed as soon as possible. It may produce in the virga. Assembly a repeal of the bank laws, and an...
17To James Madison from John Taylor, 25 September 1793 (Madison Papers)
Yours of the 20th. is this instant handed to me. Had you been present, & wielding the pencil of a Hogarth, you might have depicted a lively sensation of human nature, on having the approbation it relates, announced to it. The approbation of the good, is only inferior to a consciousness of having served mankind, in the pleasurable emotions it excites. The emendation of the paper, is not only...
18To George Washington from John Taylor, 14 January 1794 (Washington Papers)
IN the spirit of truth, and not of adulation, does the following performance solicit your attention. Nor is its hope of acquiring some share of your countenance diminished, by the circumstance of your not having in an official character withheld your signature, from several of the measures investigated. A responsibility in the chief magistrate, for the effects of every legislative act—an...
19Memorandum from John Taylor, 11 May 1794 (Madison Papers)
On the 8th. or 9th. instant T. asked leave of absence of the Senate, and expressed seriously his intention to resign. K. soon after invited T. into one of the committee rooms, and informed him, that he wished to converse with him seriously & candidly upon a very important subject. He stated that it was utterly impossible for the union to continue. That the southern and eastern people thought...
20To Thomas Jefferson from John Taylor, 1 June 1794 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter dated one month past, was delivered to me, as I was about to leave philadelphia, and this circumstance defered my answer hitherto. It was my purpose previously to have seen Mr: Martin, who is the inventor of the drilling machine , the simplicity of which is its best recommendation; but a succession of heavy rains have swept off our mills and bridges, and left a gulf between Mr:...
21To Thomas Jefferson from John Taylor, 15 August 1794 (Jefferson Papers)
Some time past, I inclosed you the pamphlet you wrote for—accepted of your commission to procure the drill plow—and requested to know to whom at Richmond I should forward it. The plow has been ready for some time and delayed for want of an answer. Concluding at length, that my letter, or your reply has failed, I have forwarded it herewith to the care of Mr: John Harvie at Richmond, and...
22To Thomas Jefferson from John Taylor, 5 March 1795 (Jefferson Papers)
There is a spice of fanaticism in my nature upon two subjects—agriculture and republicanism, which all who set it in motion, are sure to suffer by. Tho’ there is no comfort, there is a warning in the confession, enabling you at this moment to escape from its effect. For I am about to go farther into the means which I have practised for the recovery of worn out lands, the experiments I have...
23To James Madison from John Taylor, 16 November 1796 (Madison Papers)
Governor Brooke is this day elected the attorney for the commonwealth in place of Mr: Innes, and several of us have turned our Eyes with much anxiety towards you as his successor. Our hopes that you will accept of the government are sanguine, in consequence of information, that you purpose to discontinue your seat in congress, after the next session. It is probable that there will be no...
24To Thomas Jefferson from John Taylor, 14 October 1797 (Jefferson Papers)
A model of Martin’s machine for seperating the grain of wheat from the straw, is now before me, and yet simple as it is, I have no hopes that my mechanical knowledge is equal to a description so perspicuous, as to enable you to erect one. For it probably bears a very distant analogy to the Scotch machine or to Booker’s, neither of which had ever been seen by Mr: Martin, when he invented his....
25To Thomas Jefferson from John Taylor, 19 November 1797 (Jefferson Papers)
Herewith I have forwarded to you the drill you requested, packed into a crate basket, in a secure manner. This machine is an improvement upon that heretofore sent you, in having cups cut into iron rollers, instead of being fixed to bands. The effect, is perfect regularity in the sheding of the grain, because no change will be produced by the quantity in the box—because these cups must fill...
26To John Adams from John Taylor, 10 January 1798 (Adams Papers)
At the time when the contest for the Presidency, produced a general discussion relative to the political opinions of the gentleman proposed for that office, I mentioned to Genl. Lee a conversation I had with you in the Senate chamber some years past, and he now calls upon me for a statement of what I then said. I think there would at this time be an impropriety, in giving it, except for the...
27To Thomas Jefferson from John Taylor, 25 March 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr: Martin, for whom I solicited you to obtain a patent for a thrashing machine, has made several important improvements upon the model forwarded to you, and therefore wishes the taking out of a patent may be postponed, until his application can be so amended, as that it may include these improvements. For this End I will very shortly take the liberty of inclosing you the proper papers,...
28To Thomas Jefferson from John Taylor, 4 April 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
I now take the liberty of inclosing you the papers accompanied with a drawing to obtain Mr: Martin’s patent , having by a reference to the law, discovered the error in having before omited this drawing. Mr: Martin wishes the former papers to be withdrawn or to remain unnoticed, not only on account of this error, but also because several essential improvements have been added by him, since the...
29To Thomas Jefferson from John Taylor, [before 13 May 1798] (Jefferson Papers)
Having removed to some distance from Mr: Martin’s, his consideration of your letter of the 6th. of April, and the drawing it covered, has been somewhat delayed. He says, as indeed you will discover, that his amended machine, of which a drawing was lately sent you, has anticipated several of your objections, by having dispensed with the screw, and some of the wheels—that he had in the course of...
30To Thomas Jefferson from John Taylor, 25 June 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
The observations contained in yours of the 4th. instant, upon my letter to Colo. New, induce me to say something respecting our political situation, explanatory of one idea in that letter, of which you evidently disapprove. Convinced of the caution imposed on you by the malevolence of party, I have forborne the liberty I am now about to take; but considering your interrogations as permissive,...